A newspaper is a printed publication that contains news and opinions on current events. A newspaper is usually published daily and distributed to homes, businesses, and public places such as restaurants, hospitals, and schools. Its contents typically include local, national, and international news, sports, entertainment, politics, business, and other news of interest to the public. Newspapers may also contain editorials, columns, and letters to the editor. In addition, many newspapers contain advertising as the primary source of revenue.
A typical newspaper is divided into several sections, each devoted to a specific topic or subject area. The news section is often arranged chronologically and contains current and historical information, while the opinion and column sections contain the personal opinions of writers and often offer analysis and synthesis to convey what the news means. Opinions expressed in the editorial page are a common feature of most traditional newspapers.
Many newspapers publish a Sunday edition that is often several times larger than the weekday edition and contains special sections not found in other days of the week. Some newspapers also print a regional edition that is smaller and less expensive than the daily.
Most newspapers are businesses, and thus their profitability and survival depends on a mixture of subscription revenue, newsstand sales, and advertising revenues. Advertisers are generally companies, although individual persons may pay to have their own comments or advertisements appear in the newspaper. A newspaper that has high editorial independence, excellent journalism quality, and a large circulation is often viewed as a newspaper of record.
In its 20th-century heyday, the New York City-based Daily News was a brawny metro tabloid that thrived on crime and corruption coverage. Its reporters once included the famed journalist William F. Buckley and reporter/editor Jim Rich, and the paper won Pulitzer Prizes for commentary and feature writing. The News was based in a building at 220 East 42nd Street, designed by John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood, which became an official City of New York and national landmark and served as the model for the Daily Planet headquarters in the first two Superman films.
The Daily News was sold to Tribune Publishing, renamed Tronc, in 2017 for $1. Since then, the publisher has slashed staffing and coverage while refocusing on its website. On the political front, the Daily News is often characterized as having a moderate-to-liberal bias and is frequently compared to its right-wing rival, The New York Post.
The controversies surrounding the Daily News’ takeover by cost-slashing hedge fund Alden Global Capital have impacted the newspaper industry. Many of its workers have protested the move and voted to unionize. Others have taken to social media to express their opposition, and some have resigned from the company.